Spring / Summer, GPU Magazine 2016

Global Photographic Union

ISSUE 06 Spring/Summer 2016.

THE BEGGINING OF THE NEW CHAPTER

MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHER AS EAGLE’S PREY

by Saša Preradović

by Manolis Metzakis

JOINING FORCES

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY

by Olla Alouz

POLARIZED LIGHT

by Nicolás Berlingieri

MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME

by Ana Pozderac-Czik & Marija Milovanović Maksimović

by Manolis Metzakis

THE YIXIAN PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL

by John Law

A word from the President

z

Dear friends,

Cover image by Olla Alouz; Location: Dubai, UAE

GPU G l o b a l

MAGAZINE P h o t o g r a p h i c

U n i o n

The new governing board came out from the elections that took place in Dubai in April this year. Guo Jing from China and Saeed Al Shamsi from the United Arab Emirates are the new members that were elected for the governing board. I wish them every success and I’m sure that they will contribute to the progress and evolution of GPU. I also thank Polichronis Nikiforakis and Reha Bilir, the two outgoing members of the governing board for their significant contribution to our association during past years.

Our association has matured and passed on to the next step. Other than its photographic activities we decided to focus on other actions as well, such as charities and contacts with organizations like UNESCO. The creation of a new thematic photo book is about to start in the upcoming days, the photo book with an exclusively philanthropic aims. This edition is going to include photographs from all the members. As for the registration of GPU as a member of UNESCO, contacts with the competent bodies have already been made. It is a long lasting and demanding goal which I believe we’re in position of accomplishing over the next years.

Our new and updated site is a fact. Very user friendly (member of visitor) it gives any kind of information related to GPU. Young photographers remain always a priority to us, so we are granting them free membership in our association and participation in its activities.

Along with the magazine that all the members have received, there’s new GPU member pin included as well, as the titles pins for those of you who achieved one. I wish you to enjoy them.

I also wish you all, health and success with good light to your lives and your photos!

Manolis Metzakis GPU CR5, GPU ZEUS, EFIAP/p, ESFIAP, PSA**

“living in the end” dundAr yusuF

President of GPU

eXecutive editor & grAPhic design

mAriJA miLovAnović mAkSimović GPU SECRETARY GENERAL

Contents

Spring/ Summer 2016.

co - editor

mAnoLiS meTzAkiS

02

GPU PRESIDENT

by Ana Pozderac-Czik & Marija Milovanović Maksimović

06

Photographer as eagle’s prey

10

Polarized Light

14

Fashion photography

18

Joining Forces by Manolis Metzakis

19

“green eyes” Ali Al hAjri

Memories for a Lifetime

by Saša Preradović

by Nicolás Berlingieri

by Olla Alouz

GPU in China by John Law The beggining of the new chapter

by Manolis Metzakis

Back cover “Sold my hair” from Aphrodite title panel

by Muna Alzaabi

20

GPU Crowns & VIPS

www.gpuphoto.com

22

GPU Titles

by Claudio Calosi

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 1

photographing

Parents should be involved and always well informed of the plan. It is good for you (and for the baby) that parents are calm and in good mood. Babies can sense (especially if they are older then 2 weeks) if their mothers are upset and usually they become upset too.

Everything for the set ups should be prepared in advance, so you can have it on hand whenever you need it. Having a plan is always a good thing, but also you should be prepared to change it on the go. If the baby is agitated or if it is the time for the baby to be fed or to clean up if small wet accidents happen (which is usual and expected), you will have to pause the shoot. And when time is right, be prepared to work fast because the situation can change in a moment. In the same, be gentle and methodical. And always be patient and confident. The photo shoot can last up to four hours with all the breaks mentioned.

NEWBORNS & children

For posed scenes you can choose props like various blankets for the background (and for warmth, too), fake furs in different colors or velvet, hats, bows, headbands, wooden baskets, etc. Always try to set up simple background, to avoid distractions. Or light your scene or frame it in a way to avoid having the background. You can try the shots with just the details, close ups of tiny feet or just the eyes or the hands.

© Ana Pozderac Csik

MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME

Baby can be alone on the photos or you can always include siblings, no matter how old they are. Of course, include the parents too, to make the family portrait. Beside posed scenes you can also choose to shoot in documentary style (which is called lifestyle). This is a bit more casual approach and intention is to capture more natural images of the baby and their home. This way you can capture the wonder and amazment between family members.

© Marija Milovanović Maksimović

by Marija Milovanović Maksimović & Ana Pozderac-Czik

When a new baby joins the family, it is a special time in everyone’s life and we all try to capture for our family photo albums those first days of excitement and joy, and forward through the years while the child is growing and changing.

P

hotographing babies seems easy, but among any other shoots one can do, newborn photography is one of the most challenging. Having the great equipment and tehnical knowledge is never enough. All those babies on the popular photos that we are seeing in books and on internet look so peaceful and quiet, but reality is quite different. To achieve those scenes on a photograph, you have to learn the tricks and to practice a lot.

In an ideal situation, you are photographing a newborn that is less than 2 weeks old.

In first 2 weeks, they are mostly sleepy and 2 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

than it is more easier to photograph them.

They are also more flexible, so you can set up different poses and not disturb them.

After that period, they become more alert and aware of the surrounding, so they react more to the sounds and people around them and easily get upset. And when you have upset the baby, you can’t count on good photographs.

Good time of the day is mostly in the morning when they tend to be more will ing participant and just after being fed. The room should be warm (heated up to 28 C degrees). They should feel comforable,

especially if you are photographing them with less cloths. It is good to have a space heater, besides warming the room it usually makes the sound which is similar to white noise - the sound that some photographers use to calm the babies. The white noise is a sound frequency or a signal that ones hears as a gentile hiss, similar to the sound of wind rustling through trees, a waterfall or the ocean surf. Similar sounds baby can hear in the mother’s womb and that’s why it is soothing for them.You can find free white noise apps for the smart phones and use them, too.

© Ana Pozderac Csik

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 3

The settings you will need are similar to those you would need for shoting actions or sport. Use fast shutter speeds, rise your ISO if there isn’t enough light. Or you can break that rule and use slower shutter speed and pan with the movement. We also have to get down on the ground, or on our knees, to be in eye level with them. To capture the world as they see it. You can also choose candid approach. Get them doing something they enjoy and then start shooting. With older children you might find that thay respond better to posing moments, so you can ask from them to pose for you.

Whichever style you choose to photograph those little people, don’t forget to have fun too and you will certainly make a lifetime memories. © Ana Pozderac Csik

all photos on this spread by

Ana Pozderac Csik

© Marija Milovanović Maksimović

Some photographers choose (like Ana Pozderac Csik, whose photos you can see here) to work only with available light, because they believe that studio lights will disturb the babies, but some other photographers have good expirience with studio flash lights, too. So you can work on location or in studio.

When child gets older, one year old and up, some rules are changing. You should still be gentle and try to get them comfortable with you and your camera. Spend some time with them before the shoot, to let them know you.

Show them photos on your camera after you have taken them, let them look through the viewfinder (if they are old enough). All of this things can help set the child at aese.

© Marija Milovanović Maksimović

Ana Pozderac-Czik is Vienna (Austria) based portrait and wedding photographer. She prefers to work with natural light and always tries to find new, creative set ups and approaches. As a tooll besides the camera, in her creative outlet, she uses also sewing machine in making clothing for the babies and colorful props.

But, before you do anything, you need to make sure your camera’s settings are all sorted out. If you are fiddling with dials or scrolling through the menus in the middle of the shoot, not only will you run the risk of missing the shot, but the children will quickly start to lose interest in the whole event. Time is the essence, use it wisely.

When you choose the location (it can always be in the studio, but most children will feel more comfortable in their own surrownding, in their home or even better outside, in the park, on the playground), be prepared to run, a lot. Getting a good photograph of children is about chasing the cute things they do. In short, you have to match your own energy level with the energy level of the kids (which is extraordinary high).

© Ana Pozderac Csik

4 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

© Ana Pozderac-Csik

© Marija Milovanović Maksimović

© Ana Pozderac-Csik

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 5

sort of attempt at moving anything instantly disturbed the birds and they would be gone in a blink.

Having gotten home, I remembered my favourite store, Army shop, and the sniper suit with fake grass attached that had been sitting in the window there for months. To my luck, the suit was still there so I bought it immediately. Then I went and bought some fake leaves and a fishing net, and made a camouflage cape as well as a mask for my face.

On the 28th of August I went back to the same spot as before, once again around noon, since the morning light was working against me. I dressed in my sniper suit, pulled the net with the fake leaves over my head, and wrapped my equipment and my hands in the camouflaged cape I made. I sat on a small stool placed in the reed at the very edge of the lake and waited, as still as a statue. Time passed

by, the sun was beating down on me mercilessly, and the mosquitos were attacking my skin from which the repellant spray was washed off by sweat.

Most of the birds returned about fifteen minutes after I settled in, but I did not see even one whitetailed eagle. Soon enough, the gray storks came so close to me that I could not resist them, and their very successful hunt held my attention so tightly that I’d forgotten about everything else. So I kept on taking shots of storks catching fish while the sun slowly kept adding ruddier and ruddier colours to the picturesque sight of the pond…

At one point, I caught a glimpse of a white-tail high up in the sky. I didn’t pay it much mind since he was outside the reach of my short 300mm lens on a FF Nikon D800 camera. I was expecting it to touch down on the water in search of fish and gift me with at least one or two pretty frames. But it just

© Saša Preradović, “Ciconiidae”

PHOTOGRAPHER AS EAGLE’S PREY text and all photos by Saša Preradović

T

he end of August had a hard time bidding its farewell to the fortieth notch on the thermometer, visited so often in the summer of 2012, which was remembered for the big drought in Southeastern Europe and the series of specific events it brought along with it.

At the time, my friend and I were sitting under the roof of a shack by the side of a lake, from time to time observing a flock of about fifteen eagles situated from us at a distance somewhat around a thousand meters. It was an afternoon characterized by heavy humidity and faint visibility caused by the too-harsh flare of the sun and the evaporation of what little remained of the water that made the lake seem more like a swamp of (un)healthful mud. The heat was searing, made even more difficult by the mugginess, and presented no 6 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

conditions for any kind of action outside of the heavy shade, let alone for photography. But seeing how it was the first year of my over-the-lens socialization with birds, that beginner’s enthusiastic spark had not yet left me or let me come to terms with the “dead season” and the unbearable conditions.

Generally, eagles as a symbol of fascination by power, brutality and domination in the sky are too great a photographic challenge to be forgotten that easily.

My friend, orthinologist Išvam Ham, galvanized that challenge even further by constantly predicting, with a cold beer in his hand during our chats, that the group of “teenage eagles” wouldn’t be staying long in this spot threatened by a complete dry up, and that therefore I only had a couple more days at my disposal to take action.

Now, I am a professional photographer, but I’ve had close to no experience with these “models” , so I was constantly thinking about different methods of realizing my intentions of finally seeing them on the display of a camera. Ištvan suggested some positions and gave me advice on getting close to them unnoticed by using the dried up channel around the lake, so I decided to test my luck immediately.

Hunched over, I fought my way through the shrubbery, trying to hide behind the embankment separating the channel from the lake as soon as possible.

With the help of the GPS on my phone, I knew exactly when to crawl up onto the bank to get across from the white-tails, at about a 300m distance; but the bushes obstructing the lens there posed as a problem, so all of those first shots of mine were pretty bad. Of course, any

took one spin around my head and left.

No matter - when there’re no eagles, even a stork’s good, I thought and continued what I was previously doing. After a couple of minutes, I heard the whoosh of strong wings flapping behind me and suddenly realized that I was in the middle of

a flock of around fifteen eagles. They were circling around me at a mere distance of 15-20 meters.

That scene somehow seemed already familiar since it was what I’d been dreaming about for nights on end, so I started routinely filling up my memory card space by taking bursts with the camera.

Oh, how I regretted buying a cheap card instead

© Saša Preradović, “Haliaeetus albicilla”

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 7

© Saša Preradović, “Haliaeetus albicilla”

© Saša Preradović, “Falco vespertinus”

of something faster a hundred times over, because I often had to wait for the photos to save, all the while missing a unique sight. A couple of them, probably somewhat older and braver eagles would bare down towards me with their claws extended from time to time, and I turned towards them trying to capture it. They’d then suddenly lower their legs, brake in mid-air with their tails spread wide and their bodies angled forward, stopping a few meters short of me, just to once again lift up into the air before repeating the process all over again. Framing was not even an option: they were so close that I could only catch certain parts of their bodies. However, I managed to get a couple of good shots of entire birds that were a bit more far away. In the midst of this crowd it was important to choose the right “model”, not the one that thrust itself upon me at a short distance. At one point, the birds made a quick pause at a greater distance, as if to agree upon a new attack strategy, before bearing down on me again, this time faster and with even more courage. I felt the wind currents created by their wings. I had to react quickly, to point my lens at each one that neared me. They feared the front lens which was the only thing sticking out of the pile of fake grass that I was wrapped in. Spinning around in a circle around myself, tracking my guests with a now-full cheap memory card, I dropped the camouflage cape from my hands. The deception was broken, and the birds disappeared as suddenly as they appeared in the first place. All that was left was emptiness and the doubt that something as unreal as this had actually happened at all. The silence was broken only by the hard and fast beats of my heart. I felt as if the whole séance lasted for at least half an hour. Later, looking at the timestamps on the files, I realized that the attack took place between 17:04 and 17:10h.

© Saša Preradović, “Falco vespertinus”

I immediately called Ištvan. Together we ascertained that the eagles hadn’t even identified me as a human, but as some creature unknown to their previous experience, so I only caught their intrigue. They probably weren’t even certain if they could use me as prey. So the year as it was had been a dry and heavy one for many species, but not for us photographers.

© Saša Preradović, “Roller”

Saša Preradović was born on 1965. in Belgrade,

Yugoslavia (Serbia), where he graduated from the Faculty of Applied Arts, department graphic studio - photography. Currently he is working on doctoral studies and he is also engaged in exploration of photographic arts.

He owns photography school Foton and photography studio where he runs professional fashion shoots and advertising campaigns.

The nature photography is his passion and hobby.

www.sasapreradovic.com

8 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

Good camouflage is a prerequisite for a successful photographic “hunt”. It works on the principle of mimicry ie. visual adaptation to the environment.

© Saša Preradović, “Fight buzzard”

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 9

Due to Digital Photography, many filters became obsolete.

Corrections they did, now you can do, even after the photo has been taken. But there is one that is still very useful, and could not be replaced: the Polarizing Filter. © Nicolás Berlingieri © Nicolás Berlingieri No 7 - Transparent slide

POLARIZED LIGHT

by Nicolás Berlingieri

S

ince it prevents flare and saturates the blue sky, this filter gives very good results to those who know how to use it properly. But not many photographers know the interesting effects which can be achieved simply by combining two of them. When in my photography classes I show to the students the properties of polarized light, I always have fun observing their reactions of surprise.

It seems as if I was teaching magic, rather than photography. And it really

No 1 - Slide projector with polarizer

To make this projection, I had placed a polarizing filter inside the slide projector, located between the dichroic filter (antiheat) and the second condenser lens (photo 1). The dichroic filter absorbs infrared rays, and it is used to avoid the

10 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

is something magical to see how some objects, completely transparent, can produce lines and areas of color, when observed between two polarizing filters.

During the process of making plastic, especially acrylic and polyethylene, the tension are created in the material.These tensions are not visible to the naked eye, but seen between two polarizing filters, they display certain color. The color will be uniform but with rotating one of the filters, the colors will change due to the

No 2 - Rotating filter

heat of the lamp which would melt the slides. A second polarizing filter was placed immediately after the projector lens, and through a pulley, a motor of a turntable was spinning it constantly (see photo No 2).

different orientation of the polarization.

As I worked in a factory of plastic sheeting, I knew these properties since long time. And that served me, already in 1968, to make a slide show without using photographic film. I showed it at the photo club, and everyone was amazed to see how the colors changed in abstract images like a kaleidoscope.

Projection seemed animated, but it was neither movie or photography.

In some cases I mixed different materials, to achieve new effects (see photo No. 7).

I wanted to transfer on photographic film the images I liked more, so I used a slide duplicator. In this case I used the projector with the polarizing filter placed internally, solely as a source of polarized light.

It did not use the projector lens, and the second polarizing filter was placed in front of the camera lens (see photo 4). Thus I was losing the effect of changing colors, but I could choose the static position of the polarizing filter, which would produce the best color combination. In other cases I used a desk lamp, to which

I added a polarizing filter using brackets purchased in a hardware store (see photo 5). A flat walrus helped me to maintain firm objects to photograph (see photo 6) and thereby obtain details by means of macro-photography (see photo No 8 and 9).

No 4 - Slide projector as polarized light

No 5 - Polarizer mounted on desk lamp

No 6 - DVD detail

No 3 - Creating a transparent slide

Into some glass slide mounts, I had placed little pieces of transparent adhesive tape. They were placed in crossed ways, so they can form different thicknesses and orientations (see photo No 3).

No 8 - French curve © Nicolás Berlingieri

No 9 - DVD detail © Nicolás Berlingieri

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 11

But to reproduce larger objects, such as a opened CD box (see photo No. 10), I needed a larger light source and evenly lighted across its surface. Then I thought to use the lab enlarger.

This is already prepared to place filters on it, and with an horizontal projection, instead of the vertically usual way, I could illuminate it evenly. It was then, almost by accident, when I realized that my flat screen of the computer was emitting polarized light.

No 10

To check it, a set square of clear plastic was placed in front of the screen. Then I watched it through a polarizing filter (see photo No. 11). By rotating the filter, holding it with my fingers, I could see where they were lines of stress of the material. I also could see how the filter was blocking the monitor light in the zones where there was not the set square (see photo No. 12). I could also see the

No 11

Large objects, such as an input paper tray in an office provide some details, photographed at close range, which allow attractive compositions (see photo

No 14

12 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

pattern that was formed by the pixels of the monitor, if the objects were placed in contact with the screen. This was due because they remain in focus, as they fall within the depth of field, along with the object being photographed. The same goes for text and images that are currently on the screen. But in some cases it may be interesting, as in the case of a flattened tube of clear polyethylene

No 12

(see photo No. 13) which I held in front of the screen to see the parallel and longitudinal lines. These lines of different colors, like a rainbow, are due to small differences in thickness in the extrusion die. These differences, usually measured in microns (which are thousandths of a millimeter), let go out more or less plastic during manufacture, and subsequently they are reproduced in the film made.

No 17

No 18

Products manufactured by the blowing method, such as plastic bottles (see photo No. 17) or by thermoforming, as the packaging of computer hard drives (see photo No. 18), occur in two stages. In the first stage, the plastic materials suffer

a stress, or tension, which is then relaxed and released in the second stage. This is because, in this process, the material is re-heated to blow or thermoform it into another mold. But then there are new other tensions in different areas. It

Not all products, seen between two polarizing filters, produce areas of color.

Only some birefringent materials such as cellophane, cellulose, mica, polyethylene, or certain plastic materials in tension, produce these effects. Although the main application of this effect is industrial, mostly to detect problems not otherwise visible, some artists take advantage of it to create their works of art. From a “collage” made up of several pieces of plastic (see photos Nos. 20 and 21), to the use of ice, thin thickness and in melting process (see photo No. 22), all serve to obtain attractive and unreal images. Just look at the “Polages” of the American artist Agustine Wood-Comarow (http:// www.austine.com/ ), or at the “Frizions”

by Dr. Peter Wasilewski (http://www. frizion.com/index.html ), to realize the potential possibilities of polarized light in the hands of very creative artists.

No 19

No 20

© Nicolás Berlingieri

No 21

© Nicolás Berlingieri

become apparent when comparing the colored areas of a preform called “Parison” (see photo No. 19), which is made in the first stage, and then used to blow it and get a bottle in the second stage of the process.

No 13

No. 14). The materials produced by injection, as a lid of a container for home cooking (see photo No. 15), a dispenser of adhesive tape (see photo No. 16), they

will show the tensions that produce the mold in the process of the making those products.

No 15

No 16

No 22 © Nicolás Berlingieri

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 13

FASHION photography

When I started taking pictures I would go out and look for

images I already had in my mind, seeking out locations in and around my hometown in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The more I learnt the more I loved what I do and my interest in fashion photography seemed like natural progression. What I like most is lack of rules – you can be imaginative as you like – and the whole thing is more about teamwork, with designers, make-up artists, stylist, videographer, and of course models all the bringing something to a shoot.

I believe that being creative is defined by a unique way of thinking. “A creative mind always does things differently, so you shouldn’t limit it. You can be creative at work, at home,

and even while travelling. There are so many ways of being creative. We just need to look and reflect.”

If you are new in Fashion Photography, the best way to start with is doing some free photoshoots for friends or relatives.

Take big risks with the work you create, work hard and you won’t need to sell yourself because your work will speak for itself. Consistency is the key and it’s the one quality that separates a successful fashion professional from a struggling artist. The technical part is as important as all the other elements and here I would like to touch on the art of using light! As far as lighting goes, all my images are taken using natural light – sometimes with reflectors, other times without.

© Ola Allouz Camera: Canon 5D Mark III Lens: EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Camera Mode: Aperture Priority Aperture: f/3.2 Shutter Speed: 1/6400 sec ISO: 1000 Lighting: Natural light Model: @jokruk Designer: @delight_by_ahood Location: Swimming Pool

THE WAY I DO IT

This Shot was taken for a client (@delight_by_ahood) and it’s actually a very simple shot. It was taken at midday in an empty swimming pool and, although the sun was directly overhead, it was a cloudy day in Dubai so there were no problems with shadows – I didn’t even need to use a reflector. The image reflects the mood in perfect contrast with the location.

text and photos by Ola Allouz

Although she studied Accounting and had several years of experience in the Banking field, Ola Allouz has always been passionate about photography.

Like most professional photographers, Ola is constantly looking for new ways to create eye-catching images. Over the years Ola’s growing interest in shooting lifestyle and fashion images. She lives and works in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

In GPU she has achieved distinctions Aphrodite / VIP 1 / Crown 2. © Ola Allouz

14 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

© Ola Allouz

© Ola Allouz

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 15

Camera Settings: Usually in my outdoor photoshoots, I’m using Aperture Priority option which can help to control depth of field in the picture depending on the idea of the photoshoot and the lighting in that location.

I prefer shooting in both JPEG & RAW files. No information is compressed with RAW files, where it is compressed and lost in JPEG files. By shooting RAW you will be getting: © olA Allouz cAMerA: cAnon 5d MArk iii lens: eF 24-105MM F/4l is usM cAMerA Mode: Av - APerture Priority APerture: F/4 // shutter sPeed: 1/500 sec iso: 320 // lighting: nAturAl light //

o o

designer: @theesthetics

Something I do quite often when I’m shooting on locations is look for colors and textures that complement and accommodate my end vision- that “perfect spot” that works for the shot I got in my head.

Record greater levels of brightness,

o

Easily Correct Dramatically Over/Under Exposed Images

o

Easily Adjust White Balance,

o

locAtion: house under construction in dubAi.

The highest level of quality of captured image,

Get Better Details.

Favorite gear for Fashion Photography: Camera: Canon 5D Mark III Lenses: Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

Post-Processing:

Quick tips for outdoor fashion photography

I’m using Adobe Lightroom CC in post-processing my images. Using lightroom helps in importing, sorting and organizing to processing, which always help me to efficiently work with large quantities of images.

o o o

Look for Shade

o

Drink Water. It’s Hot Out! Drink water in the heat! Get water for everyone, for the model, people helping you, and yourself.

© olA Allouz cAMerA: cAnon 5d MArk iii lens: eF 50MM F/1.2l usM cAMerA Mode: APerture Priority APerture: F/3.2 shutter sPeed: 1/2500sec iso: 1000 lighting: nAturAl light Model: @AksAMitt designer: @PeArlAdubAi.

I’m choosing the lens depending on the idea of the photoshoot. Sometimes I prefer to show more from the location specially in open areas, and wide angle lens is always my first choice.

Don’t Judge a location by its environment Magic Hour There’s something so magical about the glowing light that the sun produces at certain hours of the day.

Continuous improvement Like any other profession, continuous learning and improvement in photography is always the best way to create better images. If you are a landscape photographer or nature photographer, you still have an opportunity to be successful in fashion photography as each field in photography teaches us how to be creative in a different way. There are tones of great offering for online courses and those are certainly Ola’s preferred choices. © olA Allouz

© olA Allouz

© olA Allouz cAMerA: cAnon 5d MArk iii // lens: eF 25-105MM F/4l is usM// cAMerA Mode: APerture Priority// APerture: F/10 // shutter sPeed: 1/60 sec // iso: 1000 // lighting: ProFot b1 to go kit + silver MeduiM uMbrellA // Model: @kArinA_chAikovA // designer: @MyzAA.Ae // locAtion: nAd Al shebA – dubAi..

© olA Allouz

16 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 17

THE BEGGINING OF THE NEW CHAPTER

JOINING FORCES FIAP - PSA - GPU

by Manolis Metzakis GPU President

F

D uring the 3rd GPU photo festival that took place in Morocco in Au-

gust 2015. it was decided that the next Governing Board meeting, the Extraordinary General Meeting and the member’s election for the new Governing Board would be in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The last meeting of the old Governing Board was held on April 15. 2016. in Dubai. The main topic was the assessment of the past 4 years. The election took place on the April 16. during the Extraordinary General Meeting. A lot of members from the region (Persian gulf area countries) attended the meeting and voted as well. However most of the GPU members voted via e-mails. The election was conducted by three members election committee. The new governing board was constituted on April 17. and as stated in the meeting minutes you have already received, is consisted of:

or the first time last October 2015 the presidents of the 3 photographic associations, FIAP, PSA and GPU, John Davis, Riccardo Busi and Metzakis Manolis had their first meeting in Yellowstone of the USA during the PSA conference.

A lot of photographic issues regarding photography at an international level came into discussion and important decisions were taken concerning a number of them. It was also agreed to have a continuation of those contacts and further discussions on the specific issues but also new as well. old gb Meeting

Metzakis Manolis President John Law Vice - President (License officer)

GPU IN CHINA

Claudio Calosi - Vice President (Crown officer) Marija Milovanovic Maksimovic - Secretary General Freddy Laheye - Treasurer

PART 1 The YIXIAN Photography Festival © sAeed Al shAMsi

© sAeed Al shAMsi

© sAeed Al shAMsi

18 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

generAl Meeting & election

his article is part 1 as the GPU activity in CHINA is growing almost daily as the Chinese membership of GPU grows and new initiatives are implemented. I was privileged to be invited to the YIXIAN Photography Festival in November 2015.

While not a GPU activity, I was joined by a number of renowned photographers from around the world, many of which are also GPU members.

This was a truly international and significant event and it was rewarding to see GPU and GPU members works displayed amongst the best of world photography. GPU is truly a global photographic organisation. Images from GPU as a truly global organization (taking from the latest member’s photo-book) were displayed alongside historically significant photographs from the archives of the Royal Photographic Society. There were also major exhibited works from GPU members each of very high quality.

The YIXIAN Photography Festival was a wonderful experience with a number of unique features that make it a charming event. So what is so special? Yes there

were the formal suit and tie ceremonies that the Chinese organisers do were professionally, efficient hospitality. Uniquely the event is held outdoors with several thousand prints displayed in many separate, but geographically close locations.

At each location the prints on display had to be searched out as they were displayed in main streets, small streets and most picturesquely, within individual homes and court-yards. We were given sufficient time to hunt for these displays and the effort taken was well rewards by stunning images from Chinese as well as international photographers.

As mentioned earlier, that was not a GPU event…. BUT as happens all the time, GPU members are empowered to promote further GPU. This takes the form of informal discussions, lectures and formal meetings. One of the latter were meetings I held with the director general of Royal Photographic Society (Mr Michael Pritchard) another well respected international organisation.

GPU is proud to sit at the high-table of world photography.

Guo Jing - Member The same day the first Governing Board meeting was held with a lot of topics for discussion - suggestions and plans how to improve conducting of the current GPU activities, implementing new activities, making the GPU website more efficient and user friendly, introducing new actions with philanthropic aims and many more.

by John Law - GPU Vice President

T

© sAeed Al shAMsi

Saeed Al Shamsi - Member (Title officer)

new gb Meeting

Thanks to the personal involvement and great hospitality of our hosts, all three meeting went smoothly and our stay was made more comfortable. Our hosts were and we thank them dearly: Saeed Al Shamsi, who was elected as a new member of the governing board, Ali Jamal, Yousif Alhosani and Sumaya Mohammed Thani.

one oF the PlAces we visited on the eAst coAst oF uAe with our hosts © suMAyA MohAMMed thAni “FisherMen”, grAdAc Pgi bronze MedAl

© suMAyA MohAMMed thAni , the hAttA dAM

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 19

GPU CROWNS gPu MeMbers who Achieved crown distinctions since lAst PublicAtion oF the MAgAzine crown 5 heng zee kek, singAPore crown 4 Andreou AndreAs, cyPrus Meinberg volker, gerMAny teo giAP chiu, singAPore vAn der heijdt theo, the netherlAnds crown 3 Al hAjri Ali, united ArAb eMirAtes AlAbdullAtiF hussAM, sAudi ArAbiA bhAttAchArjee AruP, indiA gArzone cristinA , itAly kAPAdiA AbbAs, united ArAb eMirAtes kisMet Feridun, turkey iAtroPoulos sPiros, greece liew vincent, singAPore liM leong kiAt, singAPore crown 2 Allouz olA, united ArAb eMirAtes AldeghAri sAleh huseein, sAudi ArAbiA AlMoMen hussAin, bAhrAin AlMuhAnnA youseF, kuwAit AlryhAn MishAl , sAudi ArAbiA AlsAbt khAlid, sAudi ArAbiA AltAiF hAssAn, bAhrAin

Ari nese, turkey AvgoustinAki PAvlinA, greece dickson ken, AustrAliA geddes wendy, AustrAliA hAinsworth richArd, uk lee dAvid nAM liP, MAlAysiA MunAsinghe indunil, sri lAnkA nAgeeb MohAMed, QAtAr nAlwAlA hussAin, united ArAb eMirAtes Pires diAs josÉ MAnuel, FrAnce PrerAdovic sAšA, serbiA sAhin ekreM, turkey sAvescu FlAviAn roMAniA selvArAjAn sArAvAnAn, united ArAb eMirAtes senbAyrAk AyhAn, turkey senguPtA sAnjoy, indiA skotiniotis iAnnis, greece crown 1 AlshAFoori suMAiyA MohAMMed, united ArAb eMirAtes bell john, uk bell lindA, uk girvAlAki nektAriA, greece khAtri shAriFA indiA kikAkis nikos greece konsolAki eleFtheriA greece ruFF jerry-louis gerMAny sulAis sAMeerA sAudi ArAbiA sutton lee uk tAher sAwsAn bAhrAin vrentzou PelAgiA greece

very iMPortAnt MPortAnt Photos Photos

© AlibrAhiM AhMed AbdullAh, “shrine” viP 2 20 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

© iAtroPoulos sPiros“cArbonic”

© gArzone cristinA, “dAncers” viP 3

© cAlosi clAudio , “letAl bAckPAck” viP 4

gPu MeMbers who Achieved viP distinctions

© AlkAMel s.bAQer “the decisive MoMent”

since lAst PublicAtion oF the MAgAzine cAlosi clAudio, itAly viP 4 gArzone cristinA, itAly viP 3 AlkAMel s.bAQer, bAhrAin viP 2 AlibrAhiM AhMed AbdullAh, sAudi ArAbiA viP 2 iAtroPoulos sPiros, greece viP 2 Al zAAbi MunA, united ArAb eMirAtes viP 1 liM leong kiAt, singAPore viP 1 Allouz olA, united ArAb eMirAtes viP 1 © liM leong kiAt “sPirAl stAircAse in vAticAn bw”

© Allouz olA, “the blue PeArl”

© AlzAAbi MunA“eMergency eXit”

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 21

GPU TITLES APhrodite

herMes

zeus

joe tAM, AustrAliA

Al FAlAsi MozA, uAe Al zAAbi MunA, uAe Allouz olA, uAe bhAttAchArjee AruP, indiA gÜven ceMil, turkey hAji MAlek nAsser,uAe kok goh leong jAck, singAPore MArAthe suniel, indiA ruFF jerry-luis, gerMAny senguPtA sAnjoy, indiA sutton lee, uk ulukAn seFA, turkey

serkAn turAc, turkey

© serkAn turAc, “Mirror 6”, cAtegory trAvel

© serkAn turAc, “sunFlower 8”, cAtegory journAlisM

© guven ceMil “ÇerÇeve koltuk”

© ruFF jerry-luis “Frontside”

© hAji MAlek nAsser “zAyed”

© serkAn turAc, “child 1”, cAtegory PortrAit

© serkAn turAc, “hAreM glAnces”, cAtegory creAtive

© kok goh leong jAck “solitude” © Al FAlAsi MozA “ArAbiAn beAuty” © sutton lee “PrAying MAntis”

© Allouz olA “silence”

© senguPtA sAnjoy “roAd to eternity”

© MArAthe suniel “i love My indiA”

© ulukAn seFA “FisherMen in blue”

22 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.

© bhAttAchArjee AruP “MountAin story”

© tAM joe “sunrise At greAt wAll”

© serkAn turAc, “shiP loAding 10”, cAtegory MonochroMe

GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016. / 23

24 / GPU Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.